Dubbed the “diablotin Moustachu” or mustached little devil by the French, the Affenpinscher is a charming, attentive and curious, loyal and loving little dog. Generally a calm dog, the Affenpinscher can show terrier sparkles and fire when excited. Affenpinschers are generally brave in the face of any threat.
Affenpinschers often do well with children, although some individuals have lower tolerance for the high energy of kids.
Affenpinscher can reach 9 to 11 inches in height and 7 to 9 pounds of weight.
Owing to its heritage as a rodent hunter, affenpinschers typically are not compatible with small pets, particularly rodents.
Affenpinscher has small body, domed head, short muzzle, small ears, bushy eyebrows, black, rounded eyes and protruding lower lip. Its tail is short and erected.
Although they are in the hypoallergenic category of dog breeds, affenpinschers do indeed shed.
Affenpinscher means “monkey-like dog” in German language (“affen” = “monkey”, “pinscher” = “terrier”). Name refers to monkey-like expression of its face.
While Affenpinschers require little grooming, it is advised that their coats be stripped on a regular basis.
Affenpinscher is normally not very loud, but when it detects intruder, it will bark loud enough to alert entire neighborhood. Affenpinscher is an excellent watchdog.
The affenpinscher originated in Germany. Although these small wiry dogs are depicted as ratters and companions in artwork dating back to the 1500s, the breed did not appear in the written record until the 19th century.
Affenpinscher easily becomes over excited (when it is faced with threats of any kind) and it takes time to calm down. Despite its small size, it does not hesitate to fight with much larger animals and dogs.
In the 1900s, most affenpinscher breeding took place in Bavaria and Saxony.
Affenpinscher is an intelligent dog that can be easily trained. It can walk on the hind legs and perform many funny tricks. That’s why it is occasionally used as therapy dog.
The American Kennel Club admitted the affenpinscher in 1936.
Affenpinscher gives birth to 3 puppies per year. Babies are blind and helpless at birth.
Their tail can be either docked to one to three inches or left in its natural state, which is longer with a slight dorsal curve.
Affenpinscher was used for creation of several popular breeds such as: Brussels Griffon, smooth haired German Pinscher and German Silky Pinscher.
The dense, coarse and shaggy coat of the affenpinscher may be black, gray, silver, black-and-tan or ruddy brown.
Affenpinscher is healthy dog, but it is prone to cuts and fractures because of its active nature. It can also suffer from hip dysplasia and slipped stifle and experience respiratory difficulties during the hot weather.
The breed possesses impressive forepaw dexterity and has a penchant for grappling and tossing toys.
Affenpinscher has an average lifespan of 12 years.
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